Students in two of Northeast Texas Community College’s GOVT 2305 – Federal Government classes had the opportunity to hear from Joe Russo of Tiber Creek Group on Monday.
Russo, a personal friend of Matt Homer, shared valuable insights drawn from his extensive experience in both the legislative and executive branches of the federal government. He previously served as Director of Coalitions for the House Appropriations Committee, where he led stakeholder engagement and strategy management to build broad support for appropriations bills moving through the U.S. House of Representatives.
He also served as Special Assistant to the President and Deputy Director of the White House Office of Public Liaison during the first Trump Administration, working to cultivate support for administration policies through coalition-building and communication with private sector leaders, from Fortune 500 companies to small businesses nationwide.
Earlier in his career, Russo worked on Capitol Hill as part of the legislative staff for Congressman Bob Goodlatte (R-VA) and later as a senior official for the House Judiciary Committee. He also served as Senior Director of Federal Government Affairs for the Association for Accessible Medicines.
A graduate of James Madison University, Russo offered students a behind-the-scenes look at how policy is shaped, the importance of coalition-building, and the realities of public service in Washington. His presentation connected classroom learning with real-world experience and encouraged students to consider how government decisions are made beyond textbooks.
Homer noted, “It was a privilege to have Joe speak with our classes. His experience and perspective gave our students a firsthand understanding of how Congress, the White House, and private industry intersect in the policymaking process.”
